Not sure how many folks are going to be interested but it seems like DC comics has decided to scrap their whole world and start over.

If you haven't heard they are cancelling all of their titles and then relaunching the entire DC line in September with 52 first issues.

They are trying to make their comics appeal to younger audiences in, what seems to me, a desperate attempt to get new readers. In addition to their regular newsstand issues they will be releasing all of their books digitally as well.

Just about every character has had their costumes redesigned, tons of origin stories and continuity have been scrapped and restarted.

There is something like 12 Batman related titles, 4 Green lantern ones, yet another relaunch for Wonder Woman, they haven't listed the Superman line of books yet but I imagine there will be at least a half dozen of those. There is a decent number of lesser known characters getting books (including one or two that have me scratching my head asking what the hell are they thinking.)

So I know we mostly read manga here but for those of us who do pick up the occasional American comics as well; What are you thinking about the big DC reboot?

Can't they just come up with something else? Well, I guess it's because of everyone's familiarity with these heroes and the people's fear of the unknown that's causing reboots/rehashes (Aswell as DC's need for cash). I'm sure there are many aspiring artists out there with their own ideas and characters but it's stupidity like this which is preventing new ideas and stories being introduced to people.

I don't give a shit, it's been a short while since I picked up a Batman comic. I was going to today, but I've not been impressed lately.

personally i really don't have a interest in American comics, i also thank american comics is not on the same level as manga, but the plan DC is planning on doing seems kinda desperate, but what ever or not DC succeed's or not in this, i don't care, ether way to me manga is always going to surpass marvel or DC.

This should be interesting to say the least.
Perhaps they felt some changes/clean up were in order. I am not terribly surprised, there are two Batmans and four robins right now running a muck. Of course they could have just done another crisis and killed off all the unwanted.. muhaha ^^

I think what is most alarming is hearing they'll be changing some of the origins. If its one thing hardcore comic fans hate its THAT.
But who knows, they have done changes like this before.. perhaps not to this scale but it may turn out all right.

(don't forget they do have some non-superhero stuff like Constentine, Swamp thing, Sgt. Rock, etc. while you are at it)

No mangaka should touch Hellblazer and any other Vertigo comics (Let alone be in charge of a reboot of a series). I prefereVertigo in terms of writing, story telling and dialogue.

I'm sure you might know, but for those of you who don't know what "Vertigo" is it's a part of DC comics which does stories for mature audiences and is outside the whole superhero thing, I suggest you check some of it out before any of you start comparing manga to US comics or even suggesting a mangaka should work on it in terms of writing. I don't mind if they do the art that would be interesting (Katsuhiro Otomo worked a bit on Batman: Black and White, and it looks really aweome.)

EDIT: I wouln't mind a mangaka working on it in terms of writing for like a one shot graphic novel. e.g a Hellblazer comic special edition by some really good mangaka.

(don't forget they do have some non-superhero stuff like Constentine, Swamp thing, Sgt. Rock, etc. while you are at it)

No mangaka should touch Hellblazer and any other Vertigo comics (Let alone be in charge of a reboot of a series). I prefereVertigo in terms of writing, story telling and dialogue.

I'm sure you might know, but for those of you who don't know what "Vertigo" is it's a part of DC comics which does stories for mature audiences and is outside the whole superhero thing, I suggest you check some of it out before any of you start comparing manga to US comics or even suggesting a mangaka should work on it in terms of writing. I don't mind if they do the art that would be interesting (Katsuhiro Otomo worked a bit on Batman: Black and White, and it looks really aweome.)

EDIT: I wouln't mind a mangaka working on it in terms of writing for like a one shot graphic novel. e.g a Hellblazer comic special edition by some really good mangaka.

I would agree. The Vertigo line has done fine on it's own (Fables is a fav of mine)

Unfortunately DC seems to disagree, they are re-integrating some of the characters with their regular universe.

John Constantine, Deadman, Shade the Changing Man and Madame Xanadu are Justice League Dark, a band of supernatural heroes united to stop the dark things the rest of the DCU does not see in JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1, by Peter Milligan and artist Mikel Janin.

Buddy Baker has gone from “super” man to family man – but is he strong enough to hold his family together when Maxine, his young daughter, starts to manifest her own dangerous powers? Find out in ANIMAL MAN #1, the start of a dramatic new series by acclaimed writer Jeff Lemire and artists Travel Foreman and Dan Green.

Scott Snyder, teams up with Yannick Paquette (BATMAN, INCORPORATED) to bring horror back to the DC Universe in SWAMP THING #1. For years, one man served against his will as the avatar of nature. And while he may have been freed of the monster, he’s about to learn the monster will never truly let go of him.

On the one hand I am thrilled to have a new Animal Man book and the premise sounds neat, but on the other hand Justice League Dark just screams bad idea to me.

Well it seems they are doing some non-superhero stuff with this reboot.

We have a War comic called Men of War staring the descendant of the original Sgt. Rock.
what looks like a Secret Agents series called Blackhawks
All-Star Westerns staring Jonah Hex set in wild west Gotham.
plus what look like a few Horror books with I Vampire, Swamp Thing and Frankenstien

doesn't look like they have anything girls might like though, which is foolish of them I think. The Girls I know just eat up the Shojo Manga at my LCS, yet American comic companies seem to totally ignore that market. Their idea of a "Girl's Comic" seems to be Birds of Prey or Wonder Woman, which while fun and have some great female leads are still in the "beat up the bad guys" region of Superhero stuff.

I think Marvel used to do a Mary Jane romance book but I don't know if it's still being published.

If the universe wide reboot doesn't start until September, I wonder if they're going to try to conclude most of the character's current story lines or not. I would be more likely to support this move if it was able to provide closure before starting over.

I stopped reading American comics (unless it's online via comic reading service) because it's too short for what they charge for them. Manga (volumes) seem to have more pages and overall be longer for the same price. Other cases are I Luv Halloween and Scott Pilgrim which are Western,but have as many wonderful pages as mangas usually do.

I have to admit that growing up I was one of those comic fans who was very biased against DC and automatically bashed anything they put out. But now that I'm older and I've checked out some of the batman cartoons they were making a few years ago, I noticed the writing really is pretty darn good and now I have to admit to a new found respect for the writers of some of those shows as well as some of those DC comics (well the batman ones at least for sure).

Having said that and putting that to the side, I honestly have to say I really don't give a proverbial rodent's hindquarters about American comics these days. Sure there are the occasional gems here and there in the independent market once you get past all the crappy ones, but it's having to wade through all the crappy ones to get to the good stuff is what makes me not want to try and even look anymore.

And as for the "big 2", well i still really don't have many nice things to say about DC overall, but I honestly can't stand Marvel anymore. Their attitude and the way they treat their freelance creators (which drove at least some of them away to form their own "Image" line of comics), as well as the way they always try rebooting things or bringing characters back to life, or even the way they always try to do those big world changing crossover events every year and unabashedly mass market them (it's like they're practically coming right out and saying "we need to drum up some more sales, so here is our game plan to get you to buy even more of our crap this year"), it all just turns me off.

Occasionally they come out with something good, like a few years ago they did a series with "Daredevil" where his secret identity got leaked out. The whole thing you could tell was written by someone who got heavily influenced watching "The Sopranos", but it was still pretty good. But overall I just can't stand the greedy corporate machine that is Marvel.